First post, by LABS
- Rank
- Member
EDIT:
Done so far:
+ Firmware rewritten to literally match the original SB2.0's firmware behavior (based on disassembled sources) .
+ The card passes all tests (auto detection, PCM, ADPCM and FM-music) by the original Creative Labs TEST-SBC.EXE utility on a Pentium - even SB2.0 can't do that!!
+ Much better FM handling on machines faster than 486 due to OPL3 usage - for example Prince of Persia plays FM music on a Pentium.
Todo:
- FIFO queue for handling OPL3 commands - should theoretically allow all OPL-enabled games to normally play music on machines faster than a 286/386 (like SOMI, Ultima series, Indiana Jones, etc etc).
--------------
This card is my next humble attempt to design an even more compatible and simple sound card for DOS 😀
It is still a Sound Blaster 2.0 compatible, but I redesigned it from scratch, considering things I've learned from disassembled firmware of the Sound Blaster and what was impossible to implement in an already released Blasterboard without causing incompatibility hell. And it also now uses OPL3 instead of OPL2 for FM.
I decided to make it a separate project with a different name - Sonic Buster 8 (8 for 8-bit PCM)
Current state: Testing and debugging the prototype.
Some general features:
- Based on Atmega microcontroller
- Dead quiet analog path (-95dB RMS)
- 8-bit PCM / ADPCM mono playback
- Stereo FM music playback (OPL3)
- CD/Line stereo audio input (internal jumper)
- PC-Speaker audio input (internal jumper)
- Dedicated volume controls for all of the above
What else is added so far:
- Firmware updates using DOS utility
- Co-processor mode - uploading and executing custom code on Atmega (experimental)
- New commands for setting precise playback rate
- Up to 65535Hz PCM playback
- Far more tolerant to 486 and faster machines than the original Sound Blasters
Thanks everyone for the suggestions and reports since the release of Blasterboard! A lot of things are now implemented in SB8.